Adrenaline Junkies or Good Samaritans?

IHCC EMT Temperament Profile

Presented by:

John Gritz, MA, NREMT-B

Jean Mulder, BA, NREMT-B

John Ackerman, NREMT-I

Purpose: Why Are We Doing This?

• The idea for original research in EMT personality and temperament developed in response to perceived stereotypes of EMTs illustrated in movies, TV, by EMS personnel and the general public.

• The purpose of this project is to assess whether any specific temperament type is drawn toward the EMS field and to further identify if any distinct temperament type could be typical of civilian, police or fire department Paramedic students.

Procedure

• 35 EMTs in 3 groups were surveyed and assessed at Inver Hills Community College.

• Group 1: included four veteran faculty NREMT-Paramedics with multiple years of street experience

• Group 2: is comprised of 16 SY 99-00 Paramedic core students --further distinguished as 1 police officer, 10 fire-fighters, and 5 civilians.

• Group 3: is made up of certified EMTs who are aspiring Paramedic students.

Assessment Process

• Used Keirsey Temperament Sorter

• 70 questions

• Keyed to Myers-Briggs Teperament Indicator (MBTI)

• Up to 16 Temperament Types

The 16 Types

• I= Introvert

• S= Sensor

• T= Thinker

• J= Judger

• E= Extravert

• N= Intuitive

• F= Feeler

• P= Perceiver

Duty & Service (Good Samaritan)

• 60% of IHCC EMTs demonstrate “SJ” temperament signifying commitment to duty and service

• Only 38% of the general population are “SJ”s

• “Need to be needed, being prepared, dependability, being a giver, caretakers”

Hungry for Action (Adrenaline Junkies)

• 14% of IHCC EMTs are “Adrenaline Junkies” compared to 38% of the general population.

• Characterized by “living for today, being free, impulsiveness, easily bored, hungry for action, being best in crisis.”

Quest for Knowledge (The “Competents”)

• 10% of IHCC EMTs are “NT”s as opposed to 12% in the general population.

• “NTs” are characterized by self-criticism and exacting demands for excellence. They are haunted by the prospect of failure, are arrogant & have a passion for knowledge

Search for Self (“Becoming”)

• 16% of IHCC EMTs are”NF”s as compared to 12% in the general population.

• Characteristics are: continual “search for self and meaning,” integrity, creativity, drama, and their interest in words and relationships.

Conclusions

• Majority of IHCC EMTs are:– Extraverts– Sense & Fact-oriented– Thinkers who react “personally & objectively”– Judgers instead of Perceivers– “Sensing Judgers” who can be precise, take

charge--but might be nit pickers or overly critical

Conclusions

• Less than 1% of IHCC EMTs are “Intuitive Feelers” who are:– empathetic– aware of others’ feelings– who want to “rescue” everybody

• 40% of IHCC EMTs demonstrate two personality/temperament types

Conclusions

• There were significantly more duty/service-oriented future leaders among IHCC EMTs than statistically expected!

• A strong desire to be needed was validated among the majority of IHCC EMTs

• Mercy & empathy are not driving influences in mission accomplishment for most IHCC EMTs

Conclusions

• The most common personality type in the IHCC EHS department is the “Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judger” - Supervisor

• There is virtually no significant difference in the breadth and variety of temperament types among Firemen, Police and Civilian students in the Paramedic core.

Conclusions

• On the whole, Paramedics are not adrenaline junkies.

• While a sample size of 35 is too small to make realistically valid research and statistical conclusions, this study did show obvious personality trends within the IHCC EHS department.